


Who Is Better

by SecondFromTheRight



Series: Missing Karen Mentions [8]
Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 05:13:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17481860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecondFromTheRight/pseuds/SecondFromTheRight
Summary: Matt nodded with acceptance but didn’t move to leave the two men to it. “Does Karen know you’re here?” he asked instead.Frank briefly glared up towards Matt on his right. “You better hope to god we’re not being listened to as well.” He said in a low tone.“We’re not.” Matt assured.Curtis looked back and forth between them, his position allowing him to look at Daredevil on the other side of Frank without giving away there was a third person there.





	Who Is Better

**Author's Note:**

> The numbering and date of this will most likely change at some point as I still had two from the first season that I never finished (yet), but I wanted to write this and write it now.

“Frank.” Was uttered from the dark, giving Frank and Curtis a fright from their vigil on the roof.

Frank stared up at Daredevil standing against the structure of the building. He breathed deeply, looking back and forth. “Jesus Christ, Red. What –“

“Don’t look towards me and talk only to each other.” Matt ordered, cutting Frank off.

Frank did as he was told, looking out ahead of his position sat behind the brick of the roof’s outer wall, his body tensing at new threats. “What is it?”

“You’re being watched.” Matt said.

Frank dropped his head and let out a sigh. “Where?” he questioned.

Curtis kept still but for taking a look at the warehouse, not moving his scope any more than usual.

“The tallest building, facing,” Matt continued. “A single male.”

“Billy.” Curtis guessed.

“He’s armed but he doesn’t appear to plan on using it. Whatever it is you’re doing here, you’re going to walk into a trap.” Matt warned, staying in the shadows.

Frank paused, thinking it over before exhaling a heavy breath. “Then I walk into a trap.” He declared.

“Frank.” Curtis cautioned, looking over to his brother as he lowered his scope.

Frank returned the look. He shrugged, shaking his head. “It’s still our best way to do this. I’ll adjust, but we can’t back out. Even if we did, Bill would know we’re onto him and we’re coming. He’ll set something up no matter what we do.”

Curtis sighed, his body looking slumping. “Shit.”

Frank tilted his head towards Matt but kept his focus straight ahead. “You here to stop me, Red?”

“Keep civilians out of it and I won’t get involved. There’s –“

“Women inside, we know. We’re not doing shit until they're gone.” Frank promised.

Matt nodded with acceptance but didn’t move to leave the two men to it. “Does Karen know you’re here?” he asked instead.

Frank briefly glared up towards Matt on his right. “You better hope to god we’re not being listened to as well.” He said in a low tone.

“We’re not.” Matt assured.

Curtis looked back and forth between them, his position allowing him to look at Daredevil on the other side of Frank without giving away there was a third person there.

“Yeah well, you would know.” Frank muttered.

Matt took a step forward, though remained behind the brick-work. “Answer the question, Frank.” He imposed.

Frank turned the other way, briefly catching Curtis staring down at him curiously. He exhaled a heavy breath as he dipped his head away from both of them. “I don’t want her involved in this.” He said, tapping his fingers against each other.

Matt gave a soft laugh. “You say that like you don’t know Karen.” Some amusement, some warmth, clear in his voice.

Frank gave a chuckle of his own, his body relaxing some. “Yeah.” He whispered, staring down at the ground.

“I heard there’s a hit on you, you and a girl.” Matt said, straightening.

Curtis assessed Frank before turning back to look down at the warehouse below.

Rolling his eyes, Frank shook his head. “I’m handling it.”

“Did you drag her into this?” Matt questioned, judgement clear.

Frank scoffed as he continued to look in front of him. “I forgot how nice it feels to have your confidence, Red, really,” he nodded, bobbing his head before continuing. “Some people are after her, a whole separate mess than this one. I’m handling both.”

“Do you need help?” Matt offered.

Frank pursed his lips as if thinking about it. “Nah, I don’t think your way would work with these, Red,” he dismissed. He tilted his head in Matt’s direction. “But I appreciate the offer. Glad to see you’re not a dead man.” He added in a softer tone.

“Likewise, Frank.” Matt said quietly.

“Standing right here.” Curtis interrupted, peering through the scope again.

Frank laughed. “Red, Curtis. Curtis, meet Red.”

“Mr. Hoyle.” Matt greeted.

Curtis stilled, turning to the other two. “Great. Everyone knows I’m involved. That’s just great,” Shaking his head, he leaned on the brick-work. “Single one-legged black man friend.” He said under his breath.

“Don’t tell Karen about this.” Frank ordered as if Curtis hadn’t said anything. He stared down at his boots, folded in his position.

“I’m not lying to Karen.” Matt rejected.

With a sarcastic laugh on his breath, Frank shook his head. “Oh, get over that habit, did you?” he questioned with condescension.

“We worked it out.” Matt said, unaffected by Frank’s dig.

“Did you, yeah? That’s real nice.” Frank muttered as tension grew in his body again. He sniffed, nodding.

Eyeing Frank, Curtis stayed quiet.

“Take care of yourself, Frank.” Matt said quietly.

“See you, Red,” Frank cleared his throat. “Hey, thanks…for the heads up.” He added.

Matt nodded and left as quietly as he came.

“You going to explain what that was?” Curtis asked.

Frank looked up at him, tilting his head back as if doing a double-take. “You don’t know about the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, Curtis?” he said in mock-offence.

With an unamused raise of his eyebrow, Curtis turned away. “This isn’t Hell's Kitchen.”

Frank picked up his thermos, circling the cup of it. “Yeah, well Red’s got boundary issues. Can’t help himself.”

Curtis was quiet for a second. “He came back from the dead half a year ago, took down Wilson Fisk of all fucks.” He finally said, testing Frank some.

Leaning his head back against the wall behind him, Frank sighed, his hands stilling around the thermos. “Yeah, I know.” He whispered, lost in his thoughts.

“The woman?” Curtis asked.

Frank closed his eyes, breathing in and out before opening them again. “We’re not doing this, Curtis.” He shot down.

Looking over the view in front of him, Curtis took another second, carefully working around Frank. “Least tell me if it’s the same woman you told me about? The one you tried with?” he asked.

“No. Karen’s…” Frank stopped himself. “Karen’s different,” he added in a lower tone, bowing his head. “You don’t _try_ with Karen.”

“Hm. And she and him?” Curtis continued, gesturing his head towards where Daredevil had stood.

“It’s better for her,” Frank said quietly. Sitting up, he clunked the thermos down. “We’re done talking about this.”

Curtis looked down at Frank, but didn’t pry further. “Can you see him?” he asked instead.

Frank squinted at the buildings, zeroing in on the tallest one. “No. But if Red says he’s there, he’s there.”

Shaking his head, Curtis sighed. “Do you think he’s known the whole time we’ve been here?”

“Maybe,” Frank mused before looking up at Curtis. “Ready for this, Curt?”

Curtis inclined his head. “I guess we’re gonna have to be.”

Frank nodded “Okay.” He said quietly before getting up off the ground.

**Author's Note:**

> I had...some issues with this season, and most of them come with the fact that I assume that was the last we will have of those characters. So I needed a Matt and Frank scene, and I needed Curtis to know about Karen and I needed Karen mentions.
> 
> Also, I thought this would be a good bridge that made sense. Billy is causing chaos and Daredevil doesn't even care? Okay then. Every shitty person in the city is looking to cash in on the hit and Daredevil remains out of it? Okay then. I also wanted something that was Frank reacting in some way to what Karen went through when he was gone. He knew Matt was back, so he must have known at least some of what happened.
> 
> And thirdly, Frank's very personal need to push Karen towards Matt when he knows nothing about their relationship pretty much just pisses me off. I get it, it's about him and wanting what he believes is good for her, but it still pisses me off. This I thought gave him some allowance, if he got the impression things were good and maybe back on between Matt and Karen again.
> 
> The title is supposed to refer to both Frank and Matt as well as Frank and Billy.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> <https://secondfromtheright.tumblr.com/>


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